The Somali-Ethiopian war was the second full scale war that broke out between the horn of Africa rivals. For those of you that are familiar with this war, which was the largest war involving armor, mechanized divisions and aircraft in Sub-sahara Africa, I want to know what your thoughts are and your inputs on this war that could have lead to an all out war in the Horn involving both Superpowers and many other nations.
During the British colonization of Northern Somalia, the Ogaden Region was controlled by the British which conceded the region to the Ethiopian empire even though it was settled by Somalis, the people spoke Somali, and the region belong to Somalia pre-colonization. The Northen Frontier District which is also Somali was incorporated into Kenya during Colonization. Djibouti which is also a Somali speaking region was occupied by the French which later granted it independence separate from Somalia.
Back to the Ogaden region which was the cause of the 1977 war; the war happend because Ethiopia wouldn't give the Ogaden region self determination and let them decide if they wanted to remain with Ethiopia or join Somalia in a union. The Somali military went into to Ethiopia and had huge success in the beginning and thrusted all the way into Dire Dawe, Jig Jigga, Nazret and Harer. The Ethiopian military began to collapse and Addis ababa felt threatened with 90 percent of the Ogaden region in Somali hands.
The new Ethiopian regime that overthrew Haile Selassie proclaimed itself Communist and began to seek assistance from Soviet Union and Cuba which was already in Angola fighting to install a communist regime their. The Soviets which originally were allied to Somalia's socialist regime began to ally with Ethiopia and in turn not to lose their foot hold in the Horn of Africa the United States which was an ally of Ethiopia switched sides and now supported the Somali regime.
The Ethiopian military was saved by an airlift from Soviet Union and the Warsaw pact. The Soviets sent trainers, weapons and supplies so did the East Germans, and the Cubans provided 11,000-15,000 troops. With these assets in hand and Cuban troops fighting with them and Soviet trainers providing guidance the Ethiopians slowly regained the advantage and finally somalia after being driven from most of the Ogaden region withdrew its remaining troops.
The Ethiopians wanted to push into Somalia itself, but the Soviets pulled the plug and stopped the Ethiopian military after the Somali military did mass mobilization and the The United states, Italy, France, England, West Germany, China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran all sent either weapons, money, or trainer to help the Somali military resist a Ethiopian-Cuban-Soviet invasion. Egypt's Sadat and and Pakistan promised to contribute troops to bolster the Somali military if Somali territory was threatened.
I want to know what you guys feel about this war and what might have happend had it spiralled out of controlled.
During the British colonization of Northern Somalia, the Ogaden Region was controlled by the British which conceded the region to the Ethiopian empire even though it was settled by Somalis, the people spoke Somali, and the region belong to Somalia pre-colonization. The Northen Frontier District which is also Somali was incorporated into Kenya during Colonization. Djibouti which is also a Somali speaking region was occupied by the French which later granted it independence separate from Somalia.
Back to the Ogaden region which was the cause of the 1977 war; the war happend because Ethiopia wouldn't give the Ogaden region self determination and let them decide if they wanted to remain with Ethiopia or join Somalia in a union. The Somali military went into to Ethiopia and had huge success in the beginning and thrusted all the way into Dire Dawe, Jig Jigga, Nazret and Harer. The Ethiopian military began to collapse and Addis ababa felt threatened with 90 percent of the Ogaden region in Somali hands.
The new Ethiopian regime that overthrew Haile Selassie proclaimed itself Communist and began to seek assistance from Soviet Union and Cuba which was already in Angola fighting to install a communist regime their. The Soviets which originally were allied to Somalia's socialist regime began to ally with Ethiopia and in turn not to lose their foot hold in the Horn of Africa the United States which was an ally of Ethiopia switched sides and now supported the Somali regime.
The Ethiopian military was saved by an airlift from Soviet Union and the Warsaw pact. The Soviets sent trainers, weapons and supplies so did the East Germans, and the Cubans provided 11,000-15,000 troops. With these assets in hand and Cuban troops fighting with them and Soviet trainers providing guidance the Ethiopians slowly regained the advantage and finally somalia after being driven from most of the Ogaden region withdrew its remaining troops.
The Ethiopians wanted to push into Somalia itself, but the Soviets pulled the plug and stopped the Ethiopian military after the Somali military did mass mobilization and the The United states, Italy, France, England, West Germany, China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran all sent either weapons, money, or trainer to help the Somali military resist a Ethiopian-Cuban-Soviet invasion. Egypt's Sadat and and Pakistan promised to contribute troops to bolster the Somali military if Somali territory was threatened.
I want to know what you guys feel about this war and what might have happend had it spiralled out of controlled.